CHAPTER 5

Table Talk

The family dinner table is a great place for meaningful conversation, but sometimes I need help to get family talk to go beyond “yes” or “no” answers. Here are a few questions and ideas to keep family conversation flowing.

 

Tell us one thing that happened today that made you feel silly (or happy, loved, smart, etc.).

Tell us one thing that really happened to you today, and make up another thing that did not really happen. Let us guess which one is true.

Do you have a hero? Mine is … because …

One thing I want to learn to do that I can't do now is …

What is the very first thing you can remember about your life?

If you could have picked your own name, what would it be? Why?

God made each of us with our own special gifts and talents. What do you think is one of your gifts or talents? Let each family member also share about the other family members' talents.

People always talk about being “successful.” What do you want to do in your life to feel like you are a success?

Would you rather be a professional athlete, president of your country, or a movie star? Why?

Do you have a best friend? What do you like about him or her?

If you could pick your own allowance each week, how much would you want? What would you do with it?

Have you ever felt peer pressure to do something you didn't want to do? How did you handle it?

What do you think is your best physical feature?

Would you rather be great at one thing or okay at a lot of things?

Do you have an all-time favorite toy?

Do you think you have ever been punished unfairly?

What is the most enjoyable thing our family has done together?

If you could pick two things our family could do together this weekend, what would you pick?

What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

What was the best part of your day? What was the worst?

What's your worst nightmare? Favorite dream?

Name one thing you are afraid of. I am afraid of …

What's your most embarrassing moment?

If you could have a free day to do anything you wanted, what would you choose to do?

What are three things you want to do before you die?

If you could compete in the Olympics, what sport would you choose?

If you could choose our next family vacation, where would we go?

You get to choose our family's next dinner. What are we having?

If you get invited to a friend's house, but then you get another invitation to a party you really want to attend, what should you do?

Tell us the last joke you remember hearing.

Has a movie ever made you cry? What happened?

Who is someone you would like to help?

Where is one place in the world you never want to go?

Where is one place in the world you really want to visit?

If you could tell me to never cook a certain food again, what would it be?

If you knew a friend of yours had stolen something, what would you do about it?

If you could trade lives with somebody you know, who would it be?

You're stuck on a deserted island. What three things do you wish you had with you?

Let's each think of three things we are grateful for in our lives.

If you could invent something that would make life easier, what would it do?

My favorite Bible verse is … because … What's yours? Let's memorize each other's favorite verses.

Does our family seem too busy? What should we change?

What is something that makes you nervous?

Teach us one thing you learned today that you don't think we yet know.

What is the grossest thing you have ever eaten?

Finish this sentence. “I have never …”

Let's make a story together. I'll start with the first sentence, and then you make up the next sentence.

If you could read someone's mind, would you? What would you do with the information?

What movie character would you want to be?

If you could ask God one question, what would it be?